Latest news with #MaryMiller
Politico
4 days ago
- Business
- Politico
Trump effect hits Illinois budget
Presented by Good Wednesday morning, Illinois. This short week feels long. TOP TALKER BUDGET STRESS IS TRENDING: The federal funding cuts and looming tariffs pushed by the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress are trickling down to state budget negotiations in Springfield — and to statehouses across the country. Along with the challenge of making sure spending doesn't exceed expected revenues, states are now trying to prepare to respond to federal cuts to Medicaid and other programs. Noses to the grindstone: 'The governor and his budget team are continuing to meet this week with budgeteers and leaders even as our state grapples with the reality of the Trump economy slowing growth and trade war raising prices,' Matt Hill, spokesman for Gov. JB Pritzker, told Playbook. 'Governor Pritzker will continue prioritizing fiscal responsibility as his proposed budget focused on the long-term fiscal health of the state while maintaining core investments and not raising taxes on working families.' Hill also issued a reminder for lawmakers: 'The governor will only sign a balanced budget that reflects these shared priorities.' Tick tock, doing math: Lawmakers have until Saturday night to nail down a budget. So far, the governor has proposed a $55.2 billion spending plan. But revenues for the 2026 fiscal year that starts July 1 are estimated at $53.4 billion. That's nearly $2 billion short of the state's total budget. That's a drop in the bucket, however, compared to other states. California, for example, has a $12 billion gap (3.72 percent of its total budget). Iowa has a $900 million gap (9.73 percent of its total budget). And Indiana has a $2 billion gap (4.55 percent of its total budget). Point being: Whether they're red states or blue states, they have to be ready for the trickle down of federal cuts, too. RELATED | Illinois budget battle: What Chicago needs from Springfield, by WGN 9's Tahman Bradley and BJ Lutz THE BUZZ IT's AN AD WAR: The Illinois Democratic Party is launching an ad campaign focused on the state's three Republican Congress members who voted on President Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' which is expected to cut funding to Medicaid, the health-care insurance program that benefits low-income and disabled Americans. The ads target Congress members Mike Bost (IL-12), Mary Miller (IL-15) and Darin LaHood (IL-16), who all voted for the measure. The ads on Facebook and Instagram say: 'Forced to drive hours for health care. Thanks Mary Miller' (or Bost or LaHood). Here's a preview If you are Darin LaHood, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@ WHERE'S JB At the Illinois State Library at 2:30 p.m. with Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski to honor former Gov. Jim Edgar, who is also scheduled to be on hand, for the dedication of the Jim Edgar Reading Room WHERE's BRANDON At the Chicago Cultural Center at 9:45 a.m. for an announcement for the Community Development Grant — At Navy Pier North Dock at 11 a.m. for the pier's marina opening — At Northwestern University at 5 p.m. to speak to students Where's Toni At the Cook County Health Professional Building at 9 a.m. to announce the release of the county's first Regional Behavioral Health Strategic Plan Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or a complaint? Email skapos@ MARK YOUR CALENDARS: The Conversation with Dasha Burns arrives on Sunday, June 1 — and we're dropping a first look. Each week on her new podcast, Dasha will sit down with one of the most compelling — and sometimes unexpected — power players in Washington. This isn't just a podcast. It's a new kind of political interview show for a moment when politics feels more personal, more chaotic and more consequential than ever. Catch the video and audio trailer out this morning to see what Dasha's digging into this season. And subscribe to the podcast, wherever you listen or watch. BUSINESS OF POLITICS — NEW TODAY: Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller is forming an exploratory committee to run for Congress in the 2nd Congressional District. Along with two terms on the County Board, Miller has served as board chair of Planned Parenthood of Illinois and its political action committee and was vice president of Illinois Democratic Women and president of Democratic Women of the South Suburbs. She's also advocated for newborn screening for cystic fibrosis and for improving maternal health. Miller received a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joe Biden for her work in medical equity and awareness. — In IL-02: Adal Regis, a public policy expert, is out with a statement saying he's been endorsed by CNN contributor Van Jones, Richton Park Village Trustee Alan Banks, and Mickensy Ellis-White, the former chair of the Vermillion County Democratic Party. Regis is running for the congressional seat now held by Congresswoman Robin Kelly, who's running for Senate. — In IL-09: Abughazaleh hiring private security because of Republican rival's comments about 'Hezbollah', by the Daily Herald's Russell Lissau — Obama world loses its shine in a changing, hurting Democratic Party: 'Obama White House and campaign alumni have been setting the course of the Democratic Party for years. After 2024, more Democrats want to see that change,' by NBC's Natasha Korecki, Jonathan Allen and Allan Smith. ILLINOIS' POPE — State Rep. Martin McLaughlin proposes a Pope Leo XIV statue and license plate: 'McLaughlin wants a statue of the new pope at the Illinois statehouse, paid for in part with a commemorative license plate,' by the Sun-Times' George Wiebe. — Pope Leo will address Chicagoans via video at Sox Park celebration: 'The newly installed pope — a White Sox fan — will deliver a 'special video message to the young people of the world' at a Mass and celebration of the pope June 14 at Rate Field,' by the Block Club's Stephen Montemayor. THE STATEWIDES — BUNDLE OF ENERGY: Lawmakers are still hammering out an energy bill. As of Tuesday evening, the bill included a plan to expand battery technology that will store excess solar and wind power. On hold is a plan to regulate data centers, which consume large amounts of water and energy — and could cost rate-payers to keep them running. 'What else goes into the bill is still being worked on,' Sen. Bill Cunningham told Playbook. — Lawmakers pass Anna's Law, which would require additional police training for sexual assault: The bill's sponsor is Sen. Mary Edly-Allen, a Libertyville Democrat. It's named after Anna Williams, who brought the issue of police insensitivity to victims of sexual assault to state lawmakers after her experience with law enforcement officials in 2021, by Capitol News' Jade Aubrey. — Mayor Brandon Johnson urges 'expediency' in addressing CTA fiscal cliff: 'Should the Illinois General Assembly conclude its spring session this weekend without addressing the financial shortfall that looms for the CTA at the end of this year, the issue may then be punted to the fall veto session,' by the Tribune's Jake Sheridan. — As Illinois works protect the Great Lakes from invasive carp, it must reckon with legacy of coal ash pollution, by Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco for the Grist — Alexi Giannoulias: Don't click on fake texts from Illinois DMV with threats about traffic tickets, by the Daily Herald's Marni Pyke — Susana Mendoza has kicked off her Dog Days of Summer campaign featuring dogs available for adoption from shelters around the state. SPOTLIGHT — Sen. Tammy Duckworth heads to Taiwan, Singapore in bid to 'close the deal' for quantum campus: 'Duckworth says her main goal will be to push Foxconn to invest in the soon-to-be-constructed Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park on the city's South Side,' by the Sun-Times' Tina Sfondeles — How the South Works quantum transformation is unfolding: 'The research park aims to attract all the companies, big and small, that think they can crack the code on quantum,' by Crain's John Pletz. CHICAGO — Mayor Johnson fans the flames of his political war against President Trump: 'You have a president that is cutting off medicine and food, a president that is working to erase culture. I mean, you can't make this stuff up. He's doing it in plain sight,' Mayor Brandon Johnson said Tuesday, by the Sun-Times' Fran Spielman. — Wall Street rating agency revises City Hall's financial outlook to 'negative': 'Fitch said the negative outlook is 'driven by a lack of substantial progress procuring permanent, high-impact solutions' to a structural budget gap of $1.12 billion,' by the Sun-Times' Fran Spielman. — As Trump targets foreign enrollment, Chicago's IIT could be hardest hit, by Crain's Brandon Dupré — Violence down over Memorial Day weekend, according to police data, by the Tribune's Carolyn Stein — Chicago Housing Authority selling more land for private development near Chicago Fire training facility, by the Tribune's Lizzie Kane COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS — Chicago Bears' proposed move to Arlington Heights would require complicated approval by local taxing bodies: 'It will require an extensive review by local school districts, a park district, and even, potentially, the Northwest Mosquito Abatement District,' by the Tribune's Robert McCoppin. — An 1846 document signed by President James Polk tells story of DuPage County, by the Daily Herald's Susan Sarkauskas Reader Digest We asked for your go-to summer drink. Retired Judge John Curry: 'Aperol Spritz.' Clem Balanoff: 'Water, it's been around longer than any other drink, but not out of plastic bottles so as to avoid microplastics.' Denise Barreto: 'Tinto de Verano, a delicious Spanish wine spritzer made with red wine and citrus soda — sangria lite.' Peter Creticos: 'Ouzo on the rocks, of course!' Charles Keller: 'Bell's Brewery Two Hearted Ale. Or beer in general.' Kevin Lampe: 'Billy Goat IPA, brewed by Miskatonic Brewing in Darien, Illinois.' Jim Lyons: 'Iced tea. No sugar, no lemon.' Ed Mazur: 'A frosty cold Negra Modelo! Or two!' Linda Shafran: 'Water out of the hose, like I was a kid again.' Rodrigo Sierra: 'Campari and soda with a slice of orange or a large wine glass filled with ice and doused with rosè wine (They call it a 'Swimming Pool' in Aspen.).' Peter Skosey: 'Campari and soda on the patio at the Hummingbird Lounge in New Buffalo.' James Straus: 'A 'Jim & Tonic,' 1/2 Lemonade 1/2 Tonic — like gin and… cuts down on the sugar!' Timothy Thomas: 'Icelandic Glacial Springs water preferably in a glass bottle.' Patricia Ann Watson: 'Black, green, white iced tea, the real stuff, nothing added.' NEXT QUESTION: Who spoke at your college graduation? THE NATIONAL TAKE — Kennedy says Covid vaccines no longer recommended for healthy children, pregnant women, by POLITICO's Sophie Gardner and David Lim — DeWine pitches an alternative to Ramaswamy, by POLITICO's Jonathan Martin — BLM official escorted out of building after DOGE conflict, by POLITICO's Ben Lefebvre — Trump is losing patience with Putin but unsure of his next move, via POLITICO — Trump administration pursues termination of Harvard contracts, by POLITICO's Juan Perez Jr. TRANSITIONS — Paige Wahoff is now an associate in Blank Rome's general litigation practice group. She was a judge advocate in the U.S. Army. EVENTS — Monday at 9 a.m.: A Pride Month flag-raising ceremony at Daley Plaza will include Mayor Brandon Johnson, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Commissioners Kevin Morrison and Maggie Trevor and MWRD Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis. — June 18: NBC 5's Allison Rosati will be honored by Gilda's Club Chicago at its annual fundraiser. Dr. Leonidas Platanias is the honorary event chair, and Ann and Thom Serafin are event chairs. Details here TRIVIA TUESDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Kristin DiCenso for correctly answering that Dixon proclaimed Sept. 14, 1941, as Louella Parsons Day, which brought Hollywood celebs Bob Hope, Charles Montgomery, Ann Rutherford and Ronald Reagan to town. TODAY's QUESTION: What Springfield-born professional baseball player spent the twilight of his career working for Secretary of State Jesse White? Email skapos@ HAPPY BIRTHDAY Former Congressman Aaron Schock, political strategist Jayme Odom, entrepreneur Matthew Pritzker, Molson Coors chief comms officer Adam Collins, Plus500US Financial Services HR Administrator Hannah Bartholf, trial attorney Shawn Kasserman, ACCESS Sales Manager Jen Kramer, Illinois Indiana Iowa Fair Contracting Organization's Marcus Jordan and Concept Charter School Network's External Affairs Director Hannah Keller -30-
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Every stone here is a story': Fallen veterans honored at Camp Butler during Memorial Day ceremony
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — A crowd from all walks of life gathered at Camp Butler National Cemetery in Sangamon County as officials laid a wreath for members of the military who lost their lives. More than 20,000 veterans from the Civil War to Iraq and Afghanistan Wars and their family members are buried at Camp Butler. Annual Memorial Day ceremony held in Danville The special guests at the ceremony were U.S. Representatives Mary Miller and Nikki Budzinski. They paid tribute to the more than 60,000 Illinoisans who have died defending the nation since the civil war. 'May we never forget that freedom is never free,' Miller said. 'And may we live our lives in a way that honors the sacrifice that has been given.' Budzinski spoke about how the day is special to her, as she's the granddaughter of two World War II veterans. 'I come from a family of those that have served and with that comes a great appreciation and a debt of gratitude to the veterans that have served,' she said. 'And their service has come to protect our freedoms and our liberties that we enjoy each and every day in the country.' Champaign's Grandview Cemetery gets flag makeover for Memorial Day Cemetery director Jimmy Allen said the focus of the day should be to remember more than the names. 'It's so much more than a cemetery with headstones,' the director said. 'It's a tapestry of time within our nation and all our different turning points and conflicts.' He challenged attendees to reflect on their connections to fallen veterans. 'Because remembrance is not passive, it is something we choose,' Allen said at the ceremony. 'And in choosing to remember, we carry these stories forward.' Camp Butler officials encourage everyone to learn more about veterans buried in national cemeteries using the Veterans Legacy Memorial. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Epoch Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Epoch Times
Some Social Security Recipients Could Get 3 Payments This Month: Here's Why
Some Social Security recipients who get both the retirement payments and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) could see three checks deposited in their accounts in May due to how the month is scheduled. Retirees who receive SSI payments will receive two checks, including one for May that should have already been sent out on the first of the month, and one for June, SSI and Social Security Recipients The first SSI payment that went out in May should have already been distributed on May 1, according to the agency's calendar. The one for June is scheduled to go out on May 30 because the first of the month in June falls on a weekend. Aside from May, recipients will see two payments every other month for the remainder of 2025, when SSI checks are sent out. The remaining SSI payments will be sent out on Tuesday, July 1; Friday, Aug. 1; Friday, Aug. 29; Wednesday, Oct. 1; Friday, Oct. 31; Monday, Dec. 1; and Wednesday, Dec. 31, according to the calendar. There will be no SSI payments in June, September, and November. Approximately 7.4 million Americans who might be disabled or have limited resources can receive SSI payments, according to the agency. Standard Social Security Payments Most people who are retired or older will receive standard Social Security payments on certain Wednesdays. If the person's birth date falls between the 1st and 10th of the month, it means they receive their Social Security check on the second Wednesday of that month, which occurred on May 14, and if the person was born between the 11th and 20th, they are paid on the third Wednesday, which occurred on May 21. Related Stories 5/23/2025 5/21/2025 If their birth date occurred after the 20th of a month, they are paid on the fourth Wednesday, which occurs on May 28. Social Security recipients who started receiving benefits before May 1997 are paid on the third of the month. If they also receive SSI, that benefit comes on the first of the month, according to the calendar. Taxes on Social Security House Republicans passed the One Big Beautiful Bill that includes a range of tax cuts last week, but it did not include a measure to stop taxing Social Security payments. President Donald Trump, who supports the bill, had campaigned on issuing a tax cut to Social Security payments. Last week, Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) 'It's complicated,' she said, adding that 'we're double and triple taxed as Americans,' in reference to how significant amounts of income tax go toward funding Social Security. When asked whether a separate bill should be introduced, Miller agreed that it should be a separate one and noted that some Democrats may be on board because they don't want to be seen as going against a measure that would impact Social Security. She said to 'keep hope alive' in supporting the Social Security no-tax measure and that Republicans 'need to just be aggressive and get things codified, get it on the floor, [and] make people vote on it.' However, along with extending existing tax breaks, the House GOP-backed bill would increase the standard income tax deduction to $32,000 for joint filers and boost the child tax credit to $2,500. There would be an enhanced deduction of $4,000 for older adults of certain income levels. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
News.com.au
24-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Could watching porn soon make you a criminal?
Porn may soon be a crime in the United States. Donald Trump has graced the pages of Playboy on several occasions. Former fashion model Melania was never averse to a nude photo shoot. And high-profile Senator Ted Cruz has promoted hardcore content on his Twitter (now X) account. Under new legislation before the US Senate, all of the above would be criminal offences. The Republican Party has taken the demands of a Make America Great Again (MAGA) trailblazer and turned it into legislative action: The Interstate Obscenity Definition Act (IODA). The new bill proposes that depiction of nudity or sexual activity that 'lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value' be banned. And any content with 'actual or simulated sexual acts with the objective intent to arouse, titillate or gratify the sexual desires of a person' would be outlawed. Congress and Supreme Court interpretations of the US Constitution's First Amendment currently define the difference between freedom of expression and illegal pornography as anything intended to 'abuse, threaten, or harass'. Or involves anyone below the age of consent. Illinois Republican Representative Mary Miller says the law would 'equip law enforcement with the tools they need to target and remove obscene material from the internet, which is alarmingly destructive and far outside the bounds of protected speech under the Constitution.' However, its advocates have yet to get the support of the 47th President of the United States. And he's been sending mixed messages. Such legislation could strip the profits of some of the internet's biggest companies. Even 'free-speech absolutist' and Special Government Employee Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) would be subject to the strict legal bonds. But Trump, convicted last year of paying hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels, has previously displayed warmth towards similar proposals. During his first election campaign in 2016, he signed a pledge to adopt a firm stance against pornography. He also raised the idea of opening a Presidential Commission into the 'harmful public health impact of internet pornography on youth, families and the American culture.' Ultimately, he did neither. But he's got another chance to do so with his second term. And now some of his most powerful MAGA supporters appear to be holding him to his word. Strange bedfellows President Trump has a complex relationship with pornography. He appeared on a 1990 cover of Playboy Magazine with Playmate Brandi Brandt, who only barely covered her modesty under his tuxedo jacket. In the mid-1990s, he allowed his wife-to-be, Melania, to conduct a nude photo shoot on his private jet. In 2013, he opened a strip club at his Atlantic City casino. And then there's his conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying records relating to hush money payments made to porn actress Stormy Daniels over a one-night-stand in 2006. Likewise, Senator Cruz gained notoriety by 'liking' (and therefore rebroadcasting) hardcore pornography on the 2017 anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. He had been instrumental in Texas laws forbidding possession of more than six 'obscene devices' (sex toys) – despite there being no such limits on gun ownership. But none of this has tarnished their reputations with the Christian Nationalist movement at the core of his MAGA movement. To them, Trump is the reincarnation of King Cyrus the Great – the imperfect heathen Achaemenid king who freed the Middle Eastern nations from Babylon (among them Israel), and in doing so, did god's work for him. Trump vowed to tackle porn in 2016. During his election campaign, he signed a five-point pledge with the anti-porn crusaders Enough Is Enough to prevent the sexual exploitation of children, 'aggressively enforce' obscenity laws, appoint an Attorney-General who would redefine those laws, and recognise internet-based pornography as 'deforming the sexual development of younger viewers.' He signed the document the day after the New York Post published a nude picture of his wife, Melania, on its front page. 'Bestiality and anal sex online, that's the new normal,' Enough Is Enough president Donna Hughes said at the time. 'This entire sex industry is tied together, so it's like fighting the drug war … just completely ignoring the obscenity laws [but combating child porn] would be like saying, 'We've got a war on drugs, but we're only going to concentrate on meth and heroin.' That's not going to do a very good job.' Gaining momentum Concern at the growing prevalence – and accessibility – of pornography is a global concern. Already, some 17 US states (mainly in the South) have moved to ban major online pornography sites. Under current US law, a charge of obscenity can only be laid if a 'reasonable person' would find it 'patently offensive'. The Christian conservative Heritage Foundation wants to redefine both. 'Look at America under the ruling and cultural elite today: Inflation is ravaging family budgets, drug overdose deaths continue to escalate, and children suffer the toxic normalisation of transgender-ism with drag queens and pornography invading their school libraries,' it proclaimed during the 2024 US election campaign. The Washington DC think-tank authored Project 2025: Mandate for Leadership – The Conservative Promise. This 920-page document forms the basis of many of Trump's policies, ranging from tariffs, slashing government spending, ending anti-discrimination efforts and renewing bans against the LGBTQ+ community. 'It (pornography) has no claim to First Amendment protection. Its purveyors are child predators and misogynistic exploiters of women,' the Project 2025 document states. 'Their product is as addictive as any illicit drug and as psychologically destructive as any crime.' And they're not holding back. 'Pornography should be outlawed. The people who produce and distribute it should be imprisoned,' the document demands. 'Educators and public librarians who purvey it should be classed as registered sex offenders. And telecommunications and technology firms that facilitate its spread should be shuttered.' Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee is turning these words into law. He has introduced the IODA bill to the Senate. Under the new law, 'a picture, image, graphic image file, film, videotape, or other visual depiction' that 'appeals to the prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion' would be criminal. And 'offensive' would no longer be limited to material 'abusing, threatening or harassing a person'. Analysts say this definition is so broad that it would apply equally to James Cameron's movie Titanic and the TV series Game of Thrones, as it would to the most depraved and violent of bootlegged productions. Obscenity laid bare 'Obscenity isn't protected by the First Amendment, but hazy and unenforceable legal definitions have allowed extreme pornography to saturate American society and reach countless children,' Lee states in a press release. 'Our bill updates the legal definition of obscenity for the internet age so this content can be taken down and its peddlers prosecuted.' Senator Lee is not averse to a controversial position. The vocal MAGA proponent stands behind those who insist the January 6, 2021, insurrection attempt on Capitol Hill was staged by undercover federal agents. He's introduced legislation to withdraw the United States from the United Nations. He wants the Trump administration to pull out of the NATO defence alliance. And this is the third time he's moved to ban pornography: His attempts in 2022 and 2024 fell flat. But it's yet to be seen how popular IODA will be with the rest of the MAGA movement. 'This is a policy so extreme that it r isks turning a culture war into a self-inflicted political wound,' Milwaukee Journal Sentinel columnist Kristin Brey writes. 'Banning all porn doesn't just raise enormous First Amendment concerns – it invites backlash from libertarians, moderates, and yes, the online foot soldiers of the 'anti-woke' movement.' Trump's 2024 victory was widely attributed to his success in expanding his appeal beyond the over-65 white American population and into young male voters. 'These young men have been told, repeatedly, that their frustrations with feminism, social progress and a rapidly changing culture are valid – and that the right will fight for them,' Brey explains. 'But this bill does the opposite. It tells them: You, too, are the problem.'
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pornhub is offline in Indiana. Republicans want to ban porn everywhere.
Are you worried about paying your bills? Affording health care? Or watching democracy crumble like a Nature Valley granola bar? Well, never fear, Utah Sen. Mike Lee is here to protect you from the real threat: your incognito tab. Yes, Lee and fellow Republican Rep. Mary Miller's Interstate Obscenity Definition Act would criminalize all pornography. Opinion: As Pornhub exits Indiana, online porn is still easy to find The bill would create a national definition of obscenity under the Communications Act of 1934 and amend the Supreme Court's 1973 'Miller Test' for determining what qualifies as obscene. Content could be deemed obscene if it depicts or describes 'actual or simulated sexual acts with the objective intent to arouse, titillate or gratify the sexual desires of a person.' That's a definition so wide it could sweep up a whole lot of HBO shows with it. Beyond that glaringly wide net of a definition, this seems like just another virtue signaling culture war proposal that will never actually make it to President Trump's desk. But, then again, who knows. One of Project 2025's many goals was to permanently criminalize all pornography. So if this legislation were to actually gain momentum, we could witness the GOP alienate one of its newly secured voting blocs: chronically online young men. Since the November 2024 election, the conversation about young men's shift to the right has been written about ad nauseum. So much so, 'manosphere' is likely in the running for Webster's 2025 Word of the Year. We know that young men helped elect Trump. They're enmeshed in online political discourse. And yes — many of them are consumers of exactly the content this bill targets. The modern right wing movement has spent years cultivating this audience: through podcasts, YouTube influencers, 'anti-woke' crusades and appeals to grievance politics. These young men have been told, repeatedly, that their frustrations with feminism, social progress and a rapidly changing culture are valid — and that the right will fight for them. But this bill does the opposite. It tells them: You, too, are the problem. It's hard to overstate how deeply ingrained online adult content is in the digital ecosystem these voters inhabit. Platforms like OnlyFans, PornHub and other streaming sites have become — whether we like it or not — a major outlet for young men who feel disconnected from traditional relationships and left behind economically. Taking that away, without offering anything in its place, is a recipe for alienation and backlash. And it's not just about habits or personal freedom. This is a policy so extreme that it risks turning a culture war into a self-inflicted political wound. Banning all porn doesn't just raise enormous First Amendment concerns — it invites backlash from libertarians, moderates, and yes, the online foot soldiers of the 'anti-woke' movement. Instead of focusing on real issues — economic insecurity, mental health, loneliness, sex education — this proposal feels like a distraction. A symbolic gesture that ignores root causes in favor of moral posturing. There are serious debates to be had about online content, consent, exploitation and mental health. But making millions of Americans potential criminals for what they watch in the privacy of their homes isn't policy. It's performative politics. Opinion: Trump secured the border. Legal battles distract from his success. And for a party that, until recently, struggled to connect with younger voters, it's a risky move to send the message: 'We trust you with guns— but not with Google.' The question isn't whether porn is good or bad. The question is whether the government should be the arbiter of morality and obscenity in the digital age. And if the GOP insists on fighting that battle, they may find their greatest casualty isn't just the adult entertainment industry — it's part of their own voter base. Kristin Brey is a columnist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, where this column first appeared. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Republicans want to ban porn — and maybe HBO shows | Opinion
